West Devon Cup

Bridestowe v Lewdown

THE Final of the West Devon Cup ? donated by the late Horace Lancaster and sponsored by Atlas International ? was re-staged on Friday following the abandonment the previous week due to fog.

Lewdown won the toss and elected to bat first. They soon lost Adrian Clements bowled by Gary Sizmur for eight in the second over.

Jack Skuse (12) and Greg Sleep took the score to 60 with Sleep quickly following Skuse back to the pavillion with the score at 64 for 3. Charlie Hughes and Dave Ball then put on 64 for the fourth wicket.

Ball was bowled by Lee Jutson in the nineteenth over and both Hughes and Gareth Clements were run out in the final over leaving Lewdown on 137 for 6.

Chris Lavis was the meanest of the Bridestowe bowlers giving away 13 runs off his 4 overs and young Gary Sizmur took one for 16 off his four. Lewdown fell away a little from a position of 60 for one in the seventh over and 138 looked a getable score.

In reply Bridestowe got off to a good start with Phil Hatton (36) and Ben Griffiths putting on 44 for the first wicket.

They fell with the score at 55 for two. Chris Lavis (25) and Mark Fogerty (9) put on 37 for the third wicket.

Tight bowling then restricted Bridestowe and Lavis was well caught just a foot inside the boundary with the ball heading for a six.

Wickets fell regularly with only Steve Yates getting to double figures in the lower order. Three wickets fell in the last over leaving Bridestowe 14 runs short. Charlie Hughes was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets for 8 runs off 3 overs. Dave Ball also bowled well with 2 for 26 off 4 overs.

Ball was named as Man of the Match by Eric Jarman and Tavistock chairman John Perkins presented the Lancaster Trophy to Lewdown skipper Jack Skuse.

Competition chairman John Gauler thanked the umpires supplied by the DCUS society both of whom had excellent performances. He also thanked Tavistock CC for staging both the aborted match and the evening?s replay which was played in beautiful sunshine.

He thanked this year?s sponsor Atlas International and announced that they were also sponsoring the competition next year when it was hoped that all the cricket clubs in the West Devon borough would enter.

The annual meeting will be held in March 2005 and clubs will be duly advised.